Committed to the Advancement of Latinos in the Legal Profession and the Empowerment of the Latino Community Through Service and Advocacy

STATEMENT: The Mexican American Bar Association of Los Angeles County Calls for an Immediate End to Trump’s Inhumane “Zero-Tolerance” Immigration Policy

The Mexican American Bar Association of Los Angeles County Calls for an Immediate End to Trump’s Inhumane “Zero-Tolerance” Immigration Policy

The Mexican American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (“MABA”) calls on the Trump administration to immediately end its inhumane immigration policy of separating thousands of children from their families. It is a policy borne out of a disregard of our nation’s family values and is not one required by our country’s laws.

The administration’s cruel, excessive, and unnecessary acts are causing severe emotional and mental trauma to detained children. DHS lacks protocols that allow parents to monitor their children’s whereabouts or wellbeing. DHS has failed to provide a clear path for family reunification and has provided no reassurance that it will reunite children with parents who have been removed to their home country. This is unacceptable.

MABA President Denisse O. Gastélum states that, “As one of the nation’s largest Latinx bar organizations, MABA strongly supports and endorses the nationwide calls to reunite children with their families. The Trump administration must keep families seeking asylum intact. This administration’s discretionary policy of separating families will have unimaginable, negative short-term and long-term effects on children and families and stains our reputation in the global community.”

MABA strongly encourages lawmakers from both parties to support Senator Feinstein’s recently introduced “Keep Families Together Act,” in addition to supporting the passage of humane and comprehensive immigration reform.

Despite Trump’s pending executive order, thousands of children are currently separated and will continue to be separated from their families. The need for family unification is just, urgent, and ongoing.

MABA calls on its members to use their diverse legal experience to serve immigrant communities during this crucial time. In particular, MABA calls on its members and the legal community-at-large to donate their time, money, or resources in any way available, including:

> Support or volunteer with the following advocacy organizations:
> RAICES: This Texas-based organization offers free and low-cost legal services to immigrant children and families.
> Together Rising: This Virginia-based organization is helping provide legal assistance for 60 migrant children who were separated from
their parents and are currently detained in Arizona.
> Al Otro Lado: This bi-national organization works providing legal services to deportees and migrants in Tijuana, Mexico, including
deportee parents whose children remain in the U.S.
> The Florence Project: This Arizona-based organization offers free legal services to men, women, and unaccompanied children in
immigration custody.
> Texas Civil Rights Project: This organization has been using legal advocacy and litigation to help families separated at the border.
> Border Angels: This California-based organization supports San Diego County’s immigrant population and focuses on issues related to
the U.S.-Mexico border.
> Advocating to elected officials by visiting https://www.aclu.org/issues/call-senators-stop-dhs-separating-children to get a phone
call to connect you with your U.S. senators.

About us

Our History
MABA was founded in 1959 by a group of Mexican American attorneys who saw the need to create an organization committed to empowering and educating the Latino community.
Over the years MABA's membership has evolved to include members of various ethnic backgrounds. Its members provide support, educational assistance, charity and fund-raising to further Latino causes.
MABA supports higher education and diversity in the legal community. MABA awards scholarships to law students thr...